Baseball-game apparatus



Aug. 30,1927. 4

s. J. BRUTOFSKI El AL BASEBALL GAME AP PARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1927 2Sheets-Sheet 1 frz-ventars f Alto rnqy Aug. 30,1927. ,640,878

s. J. BRUTOFSKI ET AL BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS Inventors B gmwm AttarmgyPatented Aug. 30, 1927.

STEPHEN J. nnurorsxr AND JOHN ARMSTRONG, or SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

BASEBALL-GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed February 28, 1927. Serial No. 171,527.

The present invention relates "to amusement devices, and has referencemore par ticularly to-a miniature baseball game, for indoor use, whichwill afford amusement and alsonecessitate the employment of skill, inplaying the game, in exemplification of the playing of the modern gameof baseball.

One of the important objects of the present invention is to, provideabas e ball game apparatuswhich comprises a playing field, arranged on asuitable board, said board having a plurality of pockets formed on theupper surface thereof at predetermined points, for receiving the ball,comprising the projectile, each pocket being designated for indicatingthe particular play, a manually actuated batter being provided forstriking the ball and batting the same out into the playing field.

A further and salient object of the invention is to provide a base ballgame apparatus wherein runners operate in suitable slots arrangedadjacent the respective bases, means being provided for connecting thebase runners with the batt ng member .for effecting a movement of therunner toward the next base, in simulation of a base runner stealing abase, as the bat is swung rearwardly prior to the same completing itsswing and striking the ball.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a base ballgameapparatus of the above mentioned character, which is simple inconstruction, inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adaptedv tothe-purpose for which it is designed. I e

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe nature of the invention is better understood, and

the same comprises the novel form, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter more fully described, claimed, and shown in the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings wherein for thepurpose of illustration is shown thepreferred em-. bodiment of our invention:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse section, taken approximately on the line 22 ofFigure 1,

looking in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 3 1s a fragmentary bottom plan View, showing the manner in whichthe base runners are operatively connected to. the

swinging bat.

Figure t'is a detail sectional view showing the slot-in the base tab andthe vertically movable pin extending therethrough, as well as the guidemeans for the pin carrying member and the actuating cable connectedthereto.v

Figure 5 is a sectional view, through the boards showing the mountingfor the swinging bat and the base runner controlling pin with which theswinging bat cooperates.

Figure 6'is a detail perspective view of one ofthe discs adapted to beplaced on the upper end of'the runner simulating pin and beingindicative of a runner, and

F igure 7 is 'a detail perspective view of one of the plugs used incooperation with the score board shown in Figure 2, L

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like partsthroughout the several views, the numerall designates generally ourimproved base ball game'apparatus, the same comprising a substantiallyrectangular board 2, constructed preferably of wood. Side walls 3 extendupwardly from the board 2 as well as do theend walls 4 and 5,respectively. In order that the board may be disposed at a slightincline when placed on atable or other suitable support,

there is provided at the forward end of the board at thebottom thereof arubber seat or button. 6, such as is more clearly illustrated in Figure2 of the drawings, A is also more clearly illustrated in this particularfigure, the sidesS are formed in their inner opposed faces with grooves7 for receiving the respective side edges of the board 2 andin a likemanner, the end walls are also provided with cooperating grooves. Thiswill provide arigid construction.

A baseball diamond is generally designated by the reference character 8,and is marked out on the upper surface of the board 2, adjacent theforemost end 5, and the various bases are indicated-at 9,10, and 11respectively. The numeral 9 represents first base, the numeral 10 secondbase, and third base is indicated by the numeral 11. The numeral 12indicates the home plate.

The base paths-which extend between the respective bases are designatedat 13, with reference more particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings.

. A groove 14- extends from the pitchers box 15 to the home plate 12 andprovides a means for delivering the ball to the swinging bat, theconstruction of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The projector comprises a block 16 from which projects laterally an armshaped to simulate abat. The ba-t'is designated by the numeral 17. Apivot forming bolt 18 extends vertically through the board 2 at one sideof the home plate 12 and through the block 16, whereby the projectorwill be adapted for co-operation with the ball moving forwardly in thegroove 1 1 by gravity.

As is clearly illustrated in Figure 5, the block 16 is provided with acavity, 19, in which is arranged a coil spring 20. This spring encirclesthe pivot bolt 18 and is secured at one end to the block 16, and itsopposite end extends into the board 2. The purpose of the spring is tonormally cause the bat 17 to be arojected. forwardly, and a forwardswinging movement of the bat is limited by reason of the stop 2].. Thebat 17 is grasped by the person playing the game and is swung rearwardlyso as to be disposed behind the home plate 12, in a manner as indicatedby the dotted lines in Figure 1. It is so held in this positionuntil theball passes over the home plate, andthen by releasing the bat, thespring 20 will cause the bat to strike the ball and to project the sameaway from the home plate onto the playing field, and the ball will fallinto one of a series of pockets formed in the upper face of the board,and which pockets are designated by the numeral 22.

As is clearly illustrated in Figure 1, these pockets are arranged in apredetermined manner in the outfield, as well as adjacent the infield oithe diamond 8. Each pocket may be marked by a number or other suitableindicia indicative of a particular play which occurs in the playing ofthe game, as for example, one pocket may indicate that the batter fliedout to the center fielder, another pocket may indicate that the battergrounded out to an infielder, or that he made a safe base hit, etc.

A back board or strip 23 is arranged on the playing board 2 adjacent therear end wall 1- and the forward edge of thisstrip is curved, thusproviding means whereby the ball may be deflected back onto the playingfield, shouldthe same strike this strip when projected by the bat 17.Also arranged on the playing field at predetermined positions aresuitable rubber abutments designated at 241, and the same provide ameans whereby to defiect the ball should the same strike such abutments.For the purpose of clarification, the ball is designated by the letterA.

g A. particular space designated at 25, is arranged on the board todesignate the hitting 0t home run by a batter, and it is of courseunderstood that this space is so arranged on the board as to make itd'iflicult tor the batter to place the ball therein. Additionalabutments 26, similar to the abutments 2% are arranged on the board forcooperation with the space 25, as is clearly shown in Figure 1. v

F or the purpose of further aiding in the deflection of the ball A.during its flight or travel over the playing field, there is arranged onthe inner opposed faces of the sides 3, the wooden strips 27, the inneredges of which are rounded. The bottom of each these deflecting stripsengages the upper face of the playing board 2.

A strip 28 is arranged at the forward end 01 the board 2, and formed inthe outer l0n gitudinal edge out this strip are a series of pockets 29,each of which may be indicative of a certain play incident to theplaying of the base ball game, such as, for example, a strike or a ball.The purpose of these pockcs, 29, in addition to the pockets 22 is torovide a means whereby should the ball A l to enter any one of theaforementioned iocl-zets 22, the same will gravity move 1' vardly on theboard and will finally en- .2 one otthe pockets 29, thus assuring aparticular play every time the ball'is batted by the person actuatingthe swinging bat 17.

In order that the players can keep an accurate account of the balls andstrikes, as well as the outs and runs, we provide 'a score )oard 3b,which may be mounted either on the upper edge of the rear end wll it orone of the side walls 3, in any particular manner. The board is providedwith a series of holes 31, which are indicative or" strikes, I

three of such holes being formed in the score board. vided withadditional holes 32 representing the number of balls thrown to thebatter, tour of such holes being provided.v Also, a serieso't' holes,represented at 33, 'are provided, for designating the cuts, and theholes 3% represent the runs that are scored ina particular inning. Aplug or pin, such as is shown at 35, in Figure'7, is formed with areduced shank 36, whereby the same may be fitted in any one of theaforementioned holes, and as many of these plugs areemployed arenecessary tor designating the particular score or account of the ballsand strikes, as well as the outs and runs scored;

In order that the complete score may be kept iiining by inning the scoreboard is formed at its upper portion with pair of The score board isalso pro-.

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the upper surface of the board 2 and adapted to be dctachably mountedthereon'is the disc 42 shown in Figure 6, and which disc is insimulation ofa base runner.

The discs .42 represent players and are only placed on the particularpinsas the bodiment of our invention, it'is'to be understoodtllfl-iLVELllOUS changes in the shape,

player reaches the particular base.

The several base runner carrying plns 39 are interconnected by asuitable cable 48,

' which extends through the respective guide channels 41 and also aroundguide pins 44 arranged therefor on the bottom of the board 2. A. coilspring 45 is secured to one end of this cable, the other end of thespring being attached to the. bottomof the board, and the purpose ofthis spring is to normally maintain the pins in the ends of therespective slots adjacent the respective bases.

The other end of the cable 43 is secured to the outer free end of an arm46, which is pivoted at its inner end on the pivot bolt 18 provided forthe batting mechanism, as clearly shown in Figure 5, and carried by thisarm 46 is a master pin 47, which projects upwardly through an arcuateshaped} slot playing board 2, adjacent the block 16, and this pinprojects a suitable distance above the board, so as to be within thepath of the rearward movement ofthe swinging bat 17, as is also clearlyd1sclosed 1n Figure 5.

Manifestly, when the bat 17 ismoved in the direction of the arrow, thesame will en gage the master pin 47, and will move-the same forwardlythrough the arcuate shaped slot 48, and as this pin moves in theparticular slot provided therefor, the pivoted arm 46, will be actuatedto simultaneously actuate all of the base runner carrying pins 39, foradvancing the same forwardly in their respective slots to simulate thebase runners attempting to steal the neXt adjacent base The movement ofthe base runner carrying pin will simulate the runners moving away fromtheir respective bags or bases as the batter is about to swing at thenext pitched ball. As heretofore stated, the base runner simulatingdiscs 42 are placed on the upper ends of the base runner carrying pins39, as the particular bases become occupied with players, As soon as oneof the players or base runners is put out or scores a run, thatparticular base runner is removed from its respective pin. 7

It is believed from the foregoing description that the playing of thegame is fully 48, provided therefor in the understood, and therefore afurther detailed description is thought unnecessary. I It will thus beseen from the foregoing description that: we have provided a novel, yetsimple game apparatus, which will e2:- ernplify the playing of a realbase ball game, including all of its fine and -technical points, andthis apparatus will not only afford amusement, but will also necessitatethe, employment of an appreciable amount of skill in order towin thegame- While we have shown the preferred emball diamond thereon, a ball,a manually actuated bat for striking and projecting the ball on theplaying field, base runner simulating means arranged in the base pathsadjacent the respective bases of the diamond, and additional meanscontrolled byrthe actuation of the bat prior to the same striking theball for moving the first mentioned' means along the base paths tosimulate the runners advancing to the next base.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of a board having arepresentation of a base ball diamond thereon, a ball, a manuallyactuated bat for striking and projecting the ball on the playing field,base runner simulating means arranged in the base paths adjacent therespective bases of the diamond, additional means controlled by theactuation of the bat prior to the same striking the ball for moving thefirst mentioned means along the base paths to simulate the runnersadvancing to the next base,and means for returning the movable elementsto their normal positions upon the completion of the swinging movementof the bat.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination of a board having therepresentation of a base ball diamond thereon, a ball, a manuallyactuated spring controlled pivoted bat for striking and projecting theball onto the playing field, the base paths being slotted adjacent therespective bases, base runner carrying pins projecting upwardly throughthe slots, means for interconnecting the several pins, and additionalmeans connected to 4. In a game apparatus, the combination of a boardhaving the representation of a base ball diamond thereon, a ball, amanually actuated spring controlled pivoted bat for striking andprojecting the ball onto the nent of playing field, the base paths beingslot-ted adjacent the respective bases, base runner carrying pinsprojecting upwardly through the slots, means for interconnecting thesevoral pins, and additional. means connected to the pins and actuatedby the swinging movehe bat prior to the same striking the ball forn'ioving the pins along in the respective slots to simulate the baserunners advancing to the next respective bases, said last mentionedmeans comprising a pivoted arm arranged on the'hoard and connected atits free end to the aforementioned pins, a master pin projectingupwardly from said arm, and disnosed within the path of movement oi? theswinging hat.

5, In a game apparatus, the combination of a board having arepresentation of a base ball diamond theretm -a hall, a manuallyactuated spring controlled bat adapted for swingin movement ontheupperiace of the bOfiil, the base paths being provided vertical slotsadjacent" the respective bases, a plate arranged beneath each slot abase runner carrying pin projecting upwardly from each plate through therespective slot,

with

guide ineans'for each plate, an arm pivoted at one end on the bottom ofthe board below the swinging "hat, a master pin projecting upwardly fromsaid mm, said board eing provided with an arcuate slot through which themaster pin projects, said master pin being disposed in the path ofmovement of said hat, a flexible connection between the free end oi saidarm and the series of base runner carrying pins whereby the same areadapted for simultaneous actuation, said base runner carrying pinsadapted to move along in the respective slots when the batis swungrcarwardly into engagement with 'the master pin for moving the same inits slot prior to vthe loatstrixingthe hall to simulatetherunnersadvancing to the next base,

and means for returning the base runner carrying pins to their normalpositions when the hat moved out of engagement with the master pin.

.Tn testimony whereof we aflix tour signacures.

STEPHEN J. nsnrorsin. Jenn nnnsrsone.

